No model



PATENTED FEB. 16, 1904. E. A. NEWMAN.

FLOATING PULSOMETER DREDGE.

' 1 9 R0 MODEL. APPLICATION FILED JAE 8 a a 5 SHEETS-SHEET 1,

i fw THE mans PETERS 00.. wow-ammo. WASHINGTON. D

PATENTED FEB. 16, 1904.

E. A. NEWMAN. FLOATING PULSOMBTER DREDGE.

v APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 8. 189B.

H0 MODEL. 5 SHEETS-451111193 2.

No. 752,247. PATENTED FEB. 16, 1904. E. A. NEWMAN. FLGATING PULSOMETER DREDGE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8, 1898.

N0 MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

. No. 752,247; PATENTBD FEB.16,'1904.

E. A, NEWMAN. FLOATING PULSOMEI'ER DREDGE.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 8. 1898.

N0 MODEL. 5 SHEETSBHEET 4.

T aikemmmal rm: NORRIS PETERS cc. Moraumou WASHINQTON. u, c.

'PATENTED FEB. 16, 1904.

E. A. NEWMAN FLOATING PULSOMBTER DRED'GE APPLIGATIOH "FILED JAN. 8, 1898. N0 MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

we "aims Freas co, morcxuman msumnmn. z:v c.

UNITED STATES Patented February 16, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

FLOATING PU LSONI ETER-DREDGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 752,247, dated February 16, 1904.

Application filed January 8,1898.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN A. NEWMAN, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city of Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Floating Pulsometer- Dredges, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates primarily to placer mining apparatus; and it consists in an improved pulsometer-dredge for subaqueous Work and in novel features of construction and new combinations of parts embodied in said dredge, some of which are applicable to dredges and pulsometers for other purposes.

The objects of the present invention include the following, viz: to combine with a dredging-pulsometer and a connecting pipe or pipes a rotary ingathering-head constructed with centripetal passages on all sides and making a complete or nearly complete rotation between successive pulsations, whereby the filling of all the inlet-passages with spoil before each pulsation is insured; to construct such an ingathering-head with centripetal passages gradually approaching a central chamber common to all in an effective manner; to provide the same with curved cutting-lips, two-thirds of a circle, more or less, in length, so disposed as to embrace and reinforce the passageforming portion of the head; to provide for eifectively applying power to such head for rotating it; to provide for suitably connecting said central chamber with said connecting pipe or pipes; to pivot the rotating head in an effective manner on the spigots of a pair of connecting-pipes; to unite a pair of such pipes for mutual support, so as to dispense with a separate ladder; to render pulsometers more simple than heretofore by obviating the injection of water to condense the steam; to chill the working chambers of pulsometers on floating dredges and the like by immersing them in the water in which the dredge or vessel floats for the condensation of the steam; to immerse two or more working chambers periodically by uniting a pair of pulsometers and causing them to revolve or oscillate; to adapt each working chamber of a dredgingpulsometer to receive the spoil at top, so that Serial No. 666,102. (No model.)

the spoil shall fall through the steam and hasten condensation; to facilitate the discharge of the spoil from such a working chamher by inverting it; to prevent the obstruction of the steam-inlet of such a working chamber in the receiving position; to operate several such working chambers in single or dou- I ble series, so as to secure a practically continuous suction with a simultaneous discharge; to separate the gold-bearing portions of the spoil and save the gold without obstructing the discharge of the pulsometers, and to construct a dredge with a practically continuous deck, excepting only a central well for the pulsometers, which is at the same time provided with a swinging ladder or its equivalent adapted to be raised out of the water, together with the ingathering-head, for inspection, &c.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a plan view, partly in section, showing by full and dotted lines two arrangements for the discharge of the spoil. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal section on the line 2 2, Fig. 1, showing in dotted lines the ingathering-head elevated, as in Fig. 1, and showing in full lines the discharge-pipes, which are dotted in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a small-scale sectional side elevation of the principal parts of a modified dredging-pulsometer. Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively a cross-section and a sectional side elevation illustrating another modification. Fig. 6 is a cross section of a third modified pulsometer, illustrating by full and dotted lines its two positions. Fig. '7 is a detail plan view, mainly in horizontal section, enlarged and shortened by brakes, as compared with Fig. 1, and with some of the parts omitted for clearness and by way of illustration, as hereinafter set forth. Fig. 8 represents a section through the ingathering-head on the line 8 8, Fig. 7. Figs. 9, 10, and 11 are details of one of the hubs of the ingathering-head, showing fragments of contiguous plates in full and dotted lines, as hereinafter described. Fig. 12 is an elevation of a portion of one of the sprocket-wheels attached to the pulsometers, showing its steam-inlet valve. Fig. 13 is a detail view, partly in section, on the line 13 13, Fig. 7, showing a pair of the spring closed valves at the main ports of the pulsometers.

Fig. 14 is a magnified face view of one of the steam-inlet guards of the pulsometers, and Fig. 15 is an end view of one of the pulsometer-glands.

Like letters and numbers refer to like parts in all the figures.

In each of the several arrangements represented by Figs. 1 and 2, together with Figs. 7 to 15, inclusive, and by Fig. 3, Figs. 1 and 5, and Fig. 6, respectively, the suction devices A, shown in the drawings, are pulsometers. Their working chambers l, 2, 3, and 4 or 1 and 2 are chilled to condense the steam by immersion in water, and they are preferably so immersed successively, as hereinafter more particularly set forth, being movable, and are or may be connected with rotary excavating and ingathering heads B by suction-pipes Cand' with suitable outlets by discharge-pipes D.

A steam-pipe E in each arrangement is connected through the media of an automatic valve 5 and branch pipes 6 with the several working chambers, and the steam-inlet ports 7 are so arranged with reference to the spoiloutlet ports 8 and the latter'with reference to the spoil-inlet ports 9 that steam is admitted to each working chamber in the position represented at 1 or between the positions indicated by the lines 1 in Fig. 2, and if the chamber be full of spoil the steam-pressure is aided by gravity in ejecting the contents, and the spoil is drawn into the working chamber in its inverted position (represented at 2) and as it approaches this position and recedes therefrom, one effect being that the spoil enters at top and falling through the steam hastens condensation and the filling of the chamber with spoil and water. Another important effect of this arrangement is that when a chamber is so filled theheavier particles falling away from the valve 10 at the spoil-inlet clears this valve, so that it is comparatively free to find its seat. Such valves 10 and the valves 11 at the discharge-ports 8 are, moreover, in common preferably and conveniently hinged and so arranged as to be aided by gravity in closing in their respective positions, but are preferably provided with springs 12, Figs. 7 and l3,which tend to close them before they would naturally be seated by steam pressure or vacuum in the respective operations, and thus cause their seats to be cleansed preliminary to the seating of the valves by the flow of water and steam through the contracted space between the partly-closed valve and its seat. In said arrangement (represented by Figs. 1 and 2 and Figs. 7 to 15, inclusive) the working chambers- 1, 2, 3, and 4: are formed by bulbs bolted in pairs to radial necks on chambered hubs 13. The latter have flat sides closed by removable plates 14:, Figs. 7 and 13, which afford access to the valves 10 and 11 and their springs 12, and each of said hubs 13 has inlet and outlet hollow trunnions a and 1), upon which the pulsometers A revolve in a vertical plane. The

trunnions a and b are mounted in horizontal bearings and 6, having in common stuifingboxes 15, provided with suitable packing and with sectional glands 0, one set of which are segregated in Fig. 15. The sectional form of these glands provides for removing and replacing them without dismounting the pulsometers. Said bearings 64 and b are conveniently integral with curved necks a and 6 forming sections of the connecting-pipes C and discharge-pipes D, respectively, and said pipes C being movable said bearings 60' are in turn mounted in bearings (0 so as to turn therein concentrically with the pulsometers. The bearings a and b are bolted fast to a strong frame F, which is preferably built up of angle-iron or steel and boiler-plate, as represented in Fig. 7, so as to possess the necessary dimensions and rigidity with the least possible weight.

For revolving the pulsometers each is provided with a sprocket-wheel 16, Figs. 7 and 12, turning freely on the bearing a of the inlettrunnion a and bolted fast to the bulbs, forming the several working chambers at a sufiicient distance from the center of rotation to overcome their inertia without undue strain. A suitably-recessed ring cl within each of said sprocket-wheels 16 conveniently forms at once the hub of the sprocket-wheel and a seat for a steam-valve 5 in the form of a fiat ring, behind which a flange 17 is formed on the fixed bearing (0 Through each of these flanges one delivery end of the steam-pipe E, which is bifurcated, extends into a snugly-fitted collar on a steam-chest 6, Fig. 12, forming part of said valve 5, and it is provided with screwtapped holes in which bushings f are adjustable, and these bushings receive stud-pins g, carried by the valve and surrounded by spiral springs 19, the pressure of which upon the valve is regulated by adjusting said bushings. A spiral spring 20, Fig. 7, may also surround the end of each of the steam-pipes E where it enters the steam-cheste. It will be understood that the valve 5 is stationary, while its seat (Z slowly revolves with the pulsometer. When one of these steam-chests is reached by the inlet 4 of one of the branch steam-pipes 6, as shown at the right in Fig. 12, steam is admitted therethrough to the corresponding working chamber, and when the steam-chest is passed by said inlet the steam is out off. The desired speed of the pulsometer and other circumstances known to those skilled in the art will determine the length of steam-chest, which thus determines the period during which steam is admitted to each working chamber.

In order to start the condensation of steam as quickly as possible after the steam is cut off from each working chamber in succession, the branch steam-pipes 6 are applied to the chamber, forming bulbs externally, being naturally thinner and better conductors than the bulbs, and they may be made of copper to The chamber-forming bulbs of the two revolving pulsometers represented in Figs. 1, 2, and 7 are preferably and conveniently arranged in two alternating pairs, those of one being opposite the interspaces of the other, as shown in Fig. 2, and the valves 5 and their appurtenances are so constructed and arranged as to admit steam to each between the lines 1 Fig. 2, and to cut off the steam as the several bulbs pass from this position succesively, the direction of revolution being as represented by arrows in Fig. 2. The eflect of this arrangement is to render the suction practically continuous, as aforesaid. In some cases it may be preferable to have longer periods between successive pulsations for purposes hereinafter set forth.

The steam-inlets 7 of the working chambers 1, 2, 3, and 4 at the chamber ends of said branch pipes 6 are guarded internally against obstruction by stones and the like by means of devices, one of which is shown in face view by Fig. 14. Sectional edge views of two are shown in Fig. 7. The suitable and preferred form thus shown consists of a flat circular disk 71, Fig. 14:, overlying the steam-port and an offset spider f, Fig. 14, loosely overlying the disk and limiting its play.

The steam-pipe E preferably leads from a superheating steam-boiler or generator G, Figs. 1 and 2, in which the steam is passed through pipes directly over the fire on its way to the pulsometers. The object of this is to prevent the condensation of the steam by contact with the wet and generally cold spoil during the discharge operations, and to insure the greatest efficiency of a given quantity of steam.

The rotary excavating and ingathering head represented at B in Figs. 1 and 2 and shown in detail by Figs. 7 to 11, inclusive, is composed of a pair of hubs 22, between which a central chamber [if is formed, in which the spoil accumulates between pulsations, a circumferential main portion surrounding said chamber and containing centripetal passages Z, discharging into said chamber 7c, curved cutting-lips 23, two-thirds of a circle, more or less, in length, which embrace and reinforce said passage-forming portion and are attached together therewith to said hubs, and supplemental cutters 24, crossing the mouths defined by said lips and serving to break up the spoil and to prevent the entrance of anything long enough to obstruct the inner ports of the apparatus, said hubs 22 being externally of the peculiar construction represented by Figs. 9, 10, and 11. This construction includes perforated peripheral flanges m of a suitable helical form, as shown, to which recurved plates 25, to form the centripetal passages Z, are riveted at their lateral edges, and to which the ends of the cutting-lips 23 are attached in like manner, together with sprocket-pinions a, integral with the remainder of the hub and in line with driving-sprockets 0 on the wheels 16 of the revolving pulsometers A. Chains p, stretched between said sprocket-wheels and pinions, transmit and multiply the motion of the pulsometers, so that the ingathering-head B is caused to make a nearly complete rotation between the beginnings of two successive pulsations. This insures filling the centripetal passages Z of the submerged head with spoil in place of water preliminary to each pulsation and the accumulation of spoil within the chamber is, as aforesaid.

Internally the hubs 22 are constructed with conical .bores or faucets g, which are occupied by spigots r, projecting horizontally toward each other at the lower or outer ends of the connecting-pipes C and revolves around said spigots, said pipes C being preferably in duplicate, as already indicated, and spread apart and recurved as said outer end to embrace the head B and connect therewith, as above.

Each of the curved terminal sections 26 of the connecting-pipes may be, furthermore,con veniently constructed with an internal seat .9, Fig. 7, for a foot-valve 27 held in place by a spring-hinge 28, Fig. 7', and exposed to inspection and repair by a hand-hole t, Fig. 7, provided with a bolted cap 29.

Eyes 20, Fig. 2, on said terminal sections 26 connect with hoisting-tackle H for raising and lowering the head B, as illustrated by full and dotted lines in Fig.2.

To stifien the pipes C against bending under their own great weight and that of their contents, they are preferably and conveniently trussed by rods 30 and struts 31, as shown in Fig. 2, the pulsometer ends of the rods passing through strong lugs 32, Fig. 7, on the pipes at bottom and provided in contact therewith with tension-nuts 33, Fig. 7. To further strengthen the pair of pipes, they are tied together at each joint by tie-plates c, on which said struts 31 are conveniently formed and which are interposed between the sections and held in place by the joint-forming bolts. (See Fig. 7.) The pipes C are also securely united near the head B by tie-rods s4 and 35, Figs. 1 and 7, at top and bottom, passing through strong lugs 36, Fig. 7, on the pipes and provided in contact therewith with screw-nuts.

37, and the truss-rods 30 are conv'enientlyattached to said rod 35 by eyes 38, Fig. 7, at the head end.

Said pulsometers A, Figs. 1, 2, and 7, are mounted in the manner above described within a central water-well 1, Figs. 1 and 2, which is formed in the hull of afloating dredge and, together with an opening J, extending through the bow of the dredge for the accommodation of the connecting-pipes C, is open at bottom to provide for the immersion of the working IPC chambers, as above described, at the bottom of the well in the Water in which the dredge floats for hinging the connecting-pipes C directly to centrally-located pulsometers and to provide for lowering the head B and connecting-pipes C from the elevated position in which they are shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and in full lines in Fig. 2 to the working position shown in full lines in Fig. 2. To further utilize the floor-space represented by said opening J and to facilitate intercommunication between all parts of the dredge, the deck K at the bow of the hull is located high enough above the water-level to accommodate the connecting-pipes G in their elevated position beneath an extension K of said deck. This extension is preferably and conveniently made in sections, so as to be removable, as represented in Fig. 1, but may be permanent, if preferred. The object of making it removable is to facilitate access to the elevated conne'cting-pipes for inspection and repairs.

An elevated cross-beam L at the bow of the boat supported by a pair of rigid shears M affords the necessary support for the hoistingtackle H.

A boiler-room N and an engine-room O are located immediately behind the well I, the former containing the boiler Gr, already referred to, and the latter a suitable steam-engine P, supplied with steam from said boiler G and serving to drive the pulsometers A and through them the ingathering-head B, as above described. For this purpose the engine P has a slow counter-shaft 39, provided with apair of sprocket-wheels w, from which chains w are stretched to the main sprockets y, Fig. 7, on the sprocket-wheels 16 of the pulsometers.

The lower curved section of each of the discharge-pipes D, extending from the trunnions 6, Fig. 7, of the pulsometers A, as above described, may conveniently be provided, as shown in Fig. 7, with an internal seat 8 for a foot-valve 27, which is held in place by a springhinge 28 and exposed to inspection and repair by a hand-hole t, having a bolted cap 29, as above described with reference to each of the pipes C, the object of such foot-valve being to protect the discharge-valves 10 of the pulsometers against back pressure. Said pipes D project upward through the deck K in the primary placer-mining arrangement, as represented in full lines in Fig. 1, and deliver the spoil toward the sides of the dredge upon laterally-arranged screens Q, having suitable hopper-bottoms, which catch grains and nuggets of gold and smaller gold-bearing particles passing through the screens and deliver them upon the receiving ends of a pair of longitudinal sluices R, which discharge the tailings over the stern of the dredge, and may be adapted to save the gold in any known or improved manner.

The heavier matter which passes over the screens Q, is intended to be received by scows at the sides of the dredge and to be subjected to suitable treatment or dumped out of the way as inspection may indicate.

For other excavating purposes the discharge-pipes D may be extended rearwardly beneath the deck K and united at the stern of the-dredge, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and in full lines in Fig. 2.

At the stern of the dredge a pivot-spud S, Figs. 1 and 2, and a walking-spud S with their appurtenances, provide in one of various optional ways for feeding the dredge to its work. Cabins for the operators are represented at T and U in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the modified arrangement represented by Fig. 3 a combined hinge and swivel joint 40 is located in the discharge-pipe D, and the pulsometers A, ingathering-head B, and connecting-pipe C rotate together, receiving motion through bevel-gears 41 and 42, concentric, respectively, with the horizontal hinge-axis of said joint 40 and with the pipe C. An ingathering-head constructed as represented and rotated by the connecting-pipe is the subject-matter in part of a previous specification forming part of an application for patent filed in the United States Patent Office September 13, 1897, Serial No. 651,542.

The steam-inlet valve 5 is constructed on the general principle hereinbefore described, being located on said gear 42 as on the aforesaid sprocket-wheel 16. Internal branch pipes are represented at 6 and roses at 7 by Way of modifications. The chamber-forming bulbs revolve and are successively immersed substantially as in said arrangement represented by Figs. 1 and 2, &c.

In the modification represented by Figs. 4 and 5 a pair of chamber-forming balls are rigidly connected with each other by inlet and outlet pipes 43 and 44, terminating, respectively, in hollow trunnions a and Z) and provided internally with the valves 10 and 11, already described, said trunnions being swiveled at 45 and 46, Fig. 5, to the connectingpipe C and discharge-pipe D, respectively, and the successive immersions of the chambers being accomplished by a seesaw movement, which may be effected by hand or in any approved Way. The steam-inlet valve 5 in this case surrounds said swivel 46, but operates on the same principle as in the arrangements previously described.

The modification illustrated by Fig. 6 is similar to the one last described, apart from the location of the valves 10 and 11 and immaterial changes of form and arrangement. The seesaw or oscillating movement characterizes it, and its chamber-forming balls are connected with each other and with the pipes G and D by inlet and outlet pipes 43 and 44. Convenient access to the discharge-valves 10 is afforded in this arrangement by hand-holes z in said pipes 44.

Any of the revolving pulsometers may have more than two chamber-forming bulbs or balls to each hub, if desired. The immersing movement may be vertical or oblique as Well 1 as pivotal, and otherlike modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described said improvement, I claim as my invention and desire to patent under this specification 1. A floating pulsometer-dredge comprising a hull constructed with a central well and an opening extending forward through the how, both of which are open at bottom, one or more pulsometers mounted within said well and having working chambers which are periodically immersed in the water filling the bottom of said well, to condense the steam, a rotary ingathering-head, and a connecting pipe or pipes hinged within said well and lowered from within said opening to its working position.

2. A floating pulsom'etendredge comprising a hull constructed with a central water-well,

one or more pulsometers mounted within said well and having working chambers which are periodically immersed in the water to condense the steam, and a suction pipe or pipes communicating with said pulsometers.

. 3. Afioating pulsometer-dredge comprising a hull constructed with a central water-well, one or more pulsometers mounted within said well and having working chambers which are periodically immersed in the water to condense the steam, and a suction pipe or pipes hinged directly to the pulsometer at the center of motion.

4:. A floating pulsometerdredge comprising a hull constructed with a central water-well, one or more pulsometers mounted within said well and having working chambers which are immersed in the water to condense the steam, and a suction pipe or pipes hinged directly to the pulsometer.

5. A floating pulsometer-dredge comprising a hull constructed with a central well open at bottom, and one or more pulsometers mounted within said well and having working chambers which are immersed in the water filling the bottom of said well, to condense the steam.

6. A floating pulsometer-dredge comprising a hull constructed with a central water-well, and one or more pulsometers mounted within said well and having working chambers which are periodically immersed in the water to condense the steam.

7. A pulsometer having its working chamher or chambers chilled by immersion in water, to condense the steam, in combination with suction and discharge pipes in communication successively with said chamber or chambers.

8. Apulsometer carried by a floating dredge or the like and having its working chamber or chambers chilled by immersion in the water in which the dredge or vessel floats, in combination with suction and discharge pipes in communication successively with said chamber or chambers.

9. A pulsometer having a working cham- .,ber periodically immersed to condense the steam, and provided with a steam-inlet pipe located on the outside of the chamber to quicken condensation.

12. A pulsometer having a working chamber periodically immersed to condense the steam, and an external steam-inlet pipe located on that side of said chamber which is first immersed.

13. Apulsometer having an invertible working chamber with its spoil inlet and outlet at one and the same end and a steam-inlet at the opposite end, whereby said chamber is adapted to receive the spoil at top and to be inverted to discharge the spoil and receive the next charge of steam.

1a. In a pulsometer having one or more working chambers, an obstruction-preventing guard for each steam-inlet of said chambers.

15. In apulsometer havinga working chamber which receives the spoil at top and is inverted to facilitate the discharge, and receive the next charge of steam, an obstruction-preventing guard for the steam-inlet.

16. In a pulsometer having a working chamber which receives the spoil at top and is inverted to facilitate the discharge, an obstruction-preventing guard for the steam-inlet, consisting of a flat disk and a play-restricting spider.

17. A revolving pulsometer for dredging purposes having two or more working chambers which are successively filled with steam, chilled by immersion to condense the steam, filled with spoil by suction, inverted to facilitate discharge, emptied by admission of steam, and so on.

18. A pair of revolving pulsometers for dredging purposes, each having two or more working chambers with interspaces alternating in the respective pulsometers and working in series to produce a practically continuous suction.

19. In combination with suction and discharge pipes a pulsometer having a working chamber which receives the spoil in one position and is shifted to facilitate the discharge and a steam-inlet valve operated by themovement of the pulsometers.

20. In combination with suction and discharge pipes a pulsometer having a working chamber which is periodically immersed to condensethe steam and a steam-inlet valve operated by the movement of the pulsometer.

21. In a pulsometer having one or more working chambers movable about a center of motion, a ring-shaped valve concentric' with said center for controlling the admission of steam.

22. In a pulsometer having one or more working chambers movable about a center of motion, a ring-shaped steam-inlet valve held against movement and provided with a steamchest, in combination with a valve-seat movable with the working chambers and in com: munication therewith. 1

23. In a pulsometer having one or more working chambers movable about a center of motion, a ring-shaped steam-inlet valve held against movement and provided with a steamchest, in combination with a valve-seat movable with the working chambers and in communication therewith, a fixed support behind said valve, and interposed springs pressing the valve against the seat. I

24:. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore specified, of a superheating steamboiler and a dredging-pulsometer in communication therewith.

' 25. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore specified, of a superheating steamboiler and a pulsometer having a working chamber in communication therewith that is chilled by immersion in water to condense the steam.

26. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore specified, of a superheating steamboiler and a pulsometer having a working chamber in communication therewith that is periodically immersed in water to condense the steam.

27. In combination with an alternating suction device, a pair of connecting-pipes in communication therewith, and an excavating device having openings in opposite sides thereof in communication with said pipes.

28. In combination with an alternating suction device, a pair of connecting-pipes in communication therewith, and a rotary ingathering-head having a central chamber in communication with said pipes.

29. The combination with a dredging pulsometer and a connecting pipe or pipes of an ingathering-head having centripetal passages on all sides and making a complete or nearly complete rotation between successive pulsations.

30. In combination with an alternating suction device and a connecting pipe or pipes, a rotating head having a central chamber and centripetal passages on all sides which gradually approach and empty into said chamber, and operating connections between the rotating head and the suction device whereby said head is caused to make a complete or nearly complete rotation between successive pulsations.

31. In combination with a suction device and a connecting pipe or pipes, a rotating head having a pair of hubs, a central chamber between said hubs, centripetal passages open on all sides which empty into said chamber, and curved cutting-lips which extend from hub to hub and embrace and reinforce the passage-forming portion of the head.

32. In combination with a suction device and a pair of connecting-pipes, an ingathering-head comprising a pair of hubs between which a central chamber is formed in communication with said pipes, a circumferential portion surrounding said chamber containing centripetal passages open on all sides, and curved cutting-lips which embrace and reinforce said passage-forming portion and are attached together therewith to said hubs.

33. In combination with a suction device and a connecting pipe or pipes, an ingathering-head comprising a pair of hubs, each having helical flanges on its periphery, a passageforming portion composed of recurved plates attached at their lateral edges to said flanges, and curved cutting-lips which embrace and reinforce said passage-forming portion.

34. In combination withan alternating suction device, a pair of connecting-pipes, in communication therewith, terminating at their lower ends in horizontal spigots in line with each other, and an ingathering-head having a pair of hubs rotating on said spigots and a central chamber between said hubs and spigots, in communication with the latter.

35. In combination with a pair of dredgingpulsometers movable on a horizontal axis,common to both, a pair of suction-pipes terminating at their upper ends in horizontal spigots, in line with each other, by which they are hinged directly to said pulsometers at said axis.

36. In combination with a dredging-pulsometer and an ingathering-head revolving on parallel axes, one or more connecting-pipes, in communication with both, hinged directly and axially to each.

37 In combination with a suction-device and an ingathering-head, a pair of sectional connecting-pipes having transverse joints provided with coupling-plates common to both pipes, whereby the two are rigidly united with each other.

38. In combination with a dredging-pulsometer, a discharge-pipe provided with a footvalve to prevent the reflux of spoil upon the discharge-valve of said pulsometer.

39. In combination with a suitable motor, a revolving pulsometer driven by said motor, one or more non-rotary suction-pipes in communication with said pulsometer, a rotary ingathering-head in communication with said suction-pipes, and speed-increasing gearing transmitting motion from the pulsometer to said ingathering-head, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

40. In combination with a revolving pulsometer or pulsometers provided with sprocketwheels, sprocket-chains driven by the latter, and a connecting pipe or pipes, an ingathering-head provided with sprocket-pinions and rotated by said sprocket-chains.

41. A floating pulsometer-dredge having a central well, an angle-beam frame within said well, and one or more pulsometers having their supports Within said frame, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

4:2. The combination in a floating pnlsometer-dredge of a hull having acentrai well, an angle-beam-reinforcing frame secured within said well, and one or more revolving pulsometers having their bearings in said frame.

4:3. In a floating dredge for placer-mining, the combination, substantially as hereinbefore specified, of one or more pulsometers discharging toward the sides of the dredge, laterally-extending screening-chutes for carrying off the larger stones With the lighter spoil and the bulk of the water, and slnices at right angles to said screens'receiving the grains of gold and smaller gold-bearing particles through said screens.

44. A floating pnlsometer-dredge having a central Well, a longitudinal opening in the hull extending forward from said well, one or more pulsometers within said Well, an ingatheringhead, a pipe or pipes connecting said head and said pulsometer, and hinged within said well, means for raising said pipes Within said opening, and a deck extending across said opening above the level of said pipes in their elevated position.

EDWIN A. NEWMAN.

Witnesses GEO. L. EBVIN ROBERT H. GILLESPIE. 

